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Keeping Your Teachers Motivated (Web only)
Teachers' motivation affects their students--so how do you keep teacher morale high?
By Amy Haywood 

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<H1>Keeping Your Teachers Motivated </H1>
<P>By Amy Haywood 
<P>Enthusiasm fills the air at the end of August--teachers are ready to tackle the new school year, pledging to do things differently. Two months into the year, the same teachers are stressed and the countdown to winter break is marked on their calendars. 
<P>Many teachers feel overworked and unappreciated--and that has a snowball effect on students. If teachers aren't happy, they can't do their jobs to the best of their ability, which affects hundreds of students daily. 
<P>You know the saying, "time flies when you're having fun"? My school year always seems to fly by. I truly feel valued by the administrative staff, and the appreciation that they show me throughout the school year keeps me motivated. This allows me to enjoy teaching and love going to work. My students feel my excitement all year long. 
<P>I have come to the conclusion that I have had such a great teaching career because I have had the privilege of working with two outstanding principals. Following are five things that they do that you can emulate. 
<P><B>Create an open-door policy with your teachers.</B> Not your door, but <I>their</I> doors: let them know that you will be in and out of their classrooms all day. This will benefit both the teachers and students. Teachers will see you on a daily basis and can ask you quick questions or set up a time with you to discuss ideas. They'll develop a sense of ease and connection with the administrators who stop by. Students--especially the ones who don't have a bond with the administrators because they aren't troublemakers and don't get sent to the office--will get to know you. Performance will improve if students get into the routine of knowing that classroom visits will be an everyday occurrence. Visiting the classrooms often--not just for formal teacher evaluations, but just for casual walk-throughs--is a great way to reach all teachers and students.
<P><B>End faculty meetings on a positive note.</B> Faculty meetings can be a little more exiting to attend because they're a great time to celebrate teachers' accomplishments in front of their colleagues. Make it a point to end each meeting with a 5- to 10-minute presentation of an outstanding teacher. The administrative team can create a tangible object to present to the deserving teacher as an award, then allow the teacher to share the motivation by selecting the next staff member to receive it. Teachers will look forward to attending the meetings when they know that they will leave on a positive note.
<P><B>Give teachers time for their own work.</B> Teachers often dread losing time to teacher workdays. They appear to listen to the speaker while many things are floating in their heads: ungraded papers, lesson plans that must be polished, parents that must be reached. Everyone knows that there are rules and guidelines that administrators must follow, but there is always a way to squeeze in time for daily concerns. On workdays, find ways to create a longer lunch break or allow a few extra minutes for teachers to stay in class working before they are required to report to the workshop training. Time is precious; teachers will really value the extra minutes you give them on these days. It means that there's one less thing they must take home. 
<P><B>Leave personal notes for teachers.</B> If you were pleased by or interested in something you saw during a classroom visit, write the teacher a personal note. Invest time in the note; let the teacher know that you truly value him or her. Rick Warren, author of <I>The Purpose-Driven Life,</I> says it best, "Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time" (p.127). Make sure the notes are for them, not for the whole staff; a note sent out to the entire staff becomes impersonal and teachers disregard it. Make sure you leave notes of thoughts as well. For example, if you know that someone from a teacher's family has passed away or is sick, take the time to let them know that you are thinking of them. This small gesture will go a long way. 
<P><B>Acknowledge teachers in the hall.</B> When you are passing by a teacher, always acknowledge him or her with a smile. If you have time to talk, make sure you greet him or her by name. Ask about family members or hobbies; show genuine warmth. In August 2008, while attending a training at the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas, I asked other middle level and high school teachers about their experiences with their adminstrators. Eighteen out of 25 teachers polled said that their bosses have never asked about their own family members. Fourteen out of 25 teachers said that the administrative staff does not acknowledge them when they are passing in the halls, not even with a smile. The majority of the teachers polled--80%--did not feel valued by their administrators. 
<P>These five habits don't cost a cent, and I can say from my own experience that they'll increase motivation in teachers. When teachers are motivated, their eagerness sparkles to those around them. Remember, teacher motivation leads to student achievement. 
<P><B>Reference</B>
<P>Warren, R. (2002.) <I>The purpse-driven life.</I> Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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<a href="mailto: gamy269@aol.com">Amy Haywood</a> is an English language arts teacher at Sul Ross Middle School in San Antonio, Texas, and has been an educator for seven years. 


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